Auto Pilot for Hunter 27

[Tom Payne]

Fellow Sailors,My brother has a 1990 Hunter 27 with 5,000 pounds of dispacement. He is wanting to purchase an auto piolt. Does anyone have any recommendations to help him out with this purchase. He currently sails on a great lake in Stockton, Missouri but is considering moving to Florida and wants GPS capabilities.Your help and any information is greatly appreciated.Daddy' Dream

 

[Bill O'Donovan]

Try the Archives

Type in "auto pilot" for lots of commentary.

 

[Steve Dion]

Wheel or Tiller!

Tom:As Bill pointed out, search the archives. If he has a wheel the Simrad/Navico WP30 is a great unit. Very easy to install and is reasonably priced. The WP30 has an interface for the GPS. The lesser model WP10 does not allow for an interface. I have seen these units on sale for less than $700 (WP30)If he has a tiller they also make a similar range of unit in their Tiller Pilot series.

 

[Warren Renninger]

Simrad or Autohelm fine

I have a Navico/Simrad WP30 with remote and it works well. My neighbor has the Autohelm 4000 and it seems to work a bit better. Mine is much easier to install but his seems to track better. I've used mine probably 300 hours. Had a few problems. He has used his maybe 75 hours with no problems. Both have had them 4 years on 1977 and 1980 H27.I think If I had it to do over, I'd have gotten the Autohelm. But if you get an Autohelm, be sure to get a rudder position module to shut it down if it goes to the stop. Otherwise it will eat itself. The Simrad does't eat itself when it hits the stop but it sure seems to bother it. Think that was my problem with one repair and a current glitch.